Rotating figure with oscillating head portion



May 6, 1969 M. l. GLASS ET AL. 3,442,512

ROTATING FIQURE WITH OSCILLATING HEAD PORTION Fil ed April 2?. 1965 United States Patent US. Cl. 273-141 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A game including a game board having a path thereon for the movement of playing pieces, and a spinner device for directing the movement of the playing pieces. The spinner device is in the form of a simulated chicken which is removably mounted on the playing board and which is actuated by downward movement of the tail portion of the chicken. Mechanism within the chicken figure is effective to produce rotation of the figure and bobbing movement of the figures head in response to such downward movement of the tail portion of the chicken figure. Numbers are arranged on the board around the path of movement of the chicken figure and the final motion of the head of such figure will be downwardly to indicate one of the numbers.

The present invention relates to a game apparatus which is positioned on a game board and rotates as a pointer to select, by chance, numbers or other indicia marked on the game board.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a game-board pointer having a housing which is mounted on the board for rotation about a vertical axis, with a part pivotally carried by the housing and projecting there from for vertical swinging movement, and mechanism within the housing which is operable to effect rotation of the housing and vertical swinging movement of the projecting part.

A further object is to provide such game apparatus in the form of a chicken having a leg-simulating support means, a body, a head, and a tail portion, with means for rotating said body about a generally vertical axis, and additional means for causing the head of the chicken to bob up and down to simulate the pecking action of a chicken.

Further objectives and advantages will become apparent from description of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which is shown the game board with the indicia marked thereon and the game apparatus of this invention mounted thereon;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the game apparatus;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view, partly in cross-section of the game apparatus, showing a portion of the game board; and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged section of a part of the drive mechanism.

With reference to FIGURES 1 through 4, it will be seen that the invention comprises generally a base structure in the form of a game board upon which the markers or indicia of the game appear. Positioned on this game board is a rotatable pointer generally designated as 12, which in appearance simulates a chicken with a housing or body portion 14, a head portion 16, and a tail portion 18. The drive mechanism 20 within the body is actuated by manual depression of the tail member 18, as will be explained hereafter. The drive mechanism 20 causes the chicken member to rotate about a substantially vertical axis, while Patented May 6, 1969 ice at the same time the chickens head bobs up and down in a vertical path adjacent the game board to simulate the pecking action of a chicken. The revolving chicken eventually comes to rest with the chickens head down, so that it constitutes a pointer with respect to numbers or other marking on the game board.

The housing 14 is generally in the form of a chicken body with vertically extended slots 22 in the front and rear sections of the body. Through these slots extend the head portion 16 of the chicken form and the tail 18, both of which are supported within the body as hereafter detailed. Underneath the body there extends a sleeve 24 adapted to pivot on a vertical sleeve 26 in support member 28. This support member 28 is fixed to the game board 10 by means of lugs 30 which extend through openings to the underside of the game board and lock support member 28 in place. The chicken form is additionally supported by pin 32 which is nonrotatably positioned in sleeve 26, and which has a head section 34 extending into an opening in a gear 64 within the body section of the chicken form.

The drive mechanism will next be described. This mechanism is supported on frame members 36 which are fixed in parallel, vertical relation within the housing 14. Mounted horizontally in this frame is fixed shaft 38, which extends crosswise of the housing 14. The tail member 18 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 38. The tail has a section 4.0 which extends through the slot 22 and is adapted to swing in a vertical path outside'the housing 14. At the other end of tail member 18 is a section 42 in the form of a segment of a gear which moves in a vertical path within the housing. Fixed to tail section 40 within the housing is an arm 44 extending upwardly. A coil spring 46 has one end mounted on frame 36 and the other end fixed to the end of arm 44, so that when tail section 40 is swung downwardly spring 46 is drawn into extended position and when tail section 40 is released the spring will recoil to urge the tail section upwardly.

The gear segment 42 on tail member 18 is positioned so that its teeth engage the teeth on a gear 48 fixed on a shaft 50 which is rotatably mounted in frame 36. Also fixed on shaft 50 is gear 52 which normally engages a gear 54 fixed on shaft 56 positioned in the frame below shaft 50. Gear 58 is also fixed on shaft 56 and the teeth of gear 58 mesh with a gear 60 rotatably mounted on a shaft 62 which is positioned in the frame below shaft 56. Underneath gear 60, a crown gear 64 is horizontally mounted in fixed relation to an angularly bent tab portion of one side of frame 36 by rivets or pins 66 and by the large pin 32 which extends into a recess in support sleeve 26. Gear 60 is in mesh with stationary crown gear 64, so that as gear 60 rotates it moves the body member 14 about support sleeve 26.

As best shown in FIGURE 4, shaft 50 is mounted in vertical slots 68 in frame members 36. The slots are of such length that when shaft 50 carrying gears 48 and 52 is moved to the upper end of the slot, gear 52 is moved out of engagement with gear 54. Shaft 50 normally rests in the lower end of slot 68, but when gear segment 42 is moved upwardly in mesh with gear 48, shaft 50 is moved to the upper end of slot 68, with the result that the connection between gear 52 and the remainder of the drive means is broken. Gear segment 42 is moved upwardly by the manual depression of tail section 40. The depression of tail section 40 moves arm 44 to tension coil spring 46. When tail section 40 is released, spring 46 recoils to pull gear segment 42 back toward its starting position. The return movement of gear section 42 causes gear 48 to rotate in a clock-wise direction as viewed in FIGURE 2, and under the downward action of gear 42 shaft 50 falls to the lower portion of the slot 68. At this point the gear 52 meshes with gear 56 and actuates the remainder of the drive means previously described. Consequently, the body member 14 is caused to rotate as gear 60 rotates and drives against stationary crown gear 64. When gear segment 42 has completed its return stroke under action of spring 46, the teeth of the gear segment will no longer be in mesh with gear 48, and the inertia of the drive gears will cause them to continue to rotate for a time.

The head portion 16 of the chicken form extends from the body 14 through slot 22 opposite the tail section 18 and is pivotally mounted by means of pin 70 on frame 36 within the housing. A portion 72 of the head section 16 extends beyond the pivot to a position adjacent wheel 74 fixed on shaft 56. A pin 76 is mounted to extend vertically from the outer side of wheel 74 so that upon each revolution of wheel 74 the pin 76 strikes the portion 72 of the head section. Each time the pin strikes portion 72 it drives portion 72 downwardly which causes the other end of the head section to be raised, since the head section is pivoted at 70. Thus, on each revolution of wheel 74 the head section 16 of the chicken is raised and then falls to a point near the game board, as shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 2. This bobbing movement simulates pecking action while the chicken is revolving. When the revolving movement of the chicken ceases, the chickens head serves as a pointer with respect to numbers or other markers on the game board such as are illustrated in FIGURE 1.

Although shown and described with respect to particular structure, it will be apparent that various modifications might be made without departing from the principles of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Game apparatus comprising a figure having a body portion and including a laterally projecting head portion, a support means for said body portion including a pivot means providing for rotation of said figure about a vertical center axis, additional pivot means supporting said head on said body and providing for swinging movement of said head portion about a horizontal axis, drive mechanism within said body portion operatively connected with said support means and with said figure head to effect rotation of said figure relative to said support means while causing said head portion thereof to oscillate vertically with respect to said horizontal axis, and movable means extending from said figure and connected with said drive mechanism so that manual movement of said movable means causes operation of said drive mechanism for a predetermined period of time.

2. Game apparatus comprising a figure having a body portion and including a laterally projecting head portion, a support means for said body including a pivot means providing for rotation of said figure about a vertical center axis, additional pivot means supporting said head on said body and providing for swinging movement of said head portion about a horizontal axis, gear drive mechanism within said figure operatively connected with said support means, said body and said head portion to effect rotation of said figure relative to said support means while causing said head portion thereof to oscillate vertically with respect to said horizontal axis, and manually operable means on' said figure comprising a pivotally mounted lever having a gear segment at the inner end thereof in position for driving engagement with said gear drive mechanism, whereby movement of said lever initiates operation of said drive mechanism which operates -for a period of time at a decelerating rate until it stops.

3. Game apparatus in the form of a chicken having a leg simulating support means, a body, a head, and a tail portion, means connecting said body with said support means for relative movement about a generally vertical axis, additional means connecting said head and tail portions, respectively, for movement relative to said body, mechanism within said body operatively connected with said support means, said body, and said head and operable to effect rotation of said body relative to said 4 support means about said vertical axis and movement of said head about a horizontal axis, and said tail portion including means operatively connected with said mechanism for actuation of the latter upon manual movement of said tail, whereby said chicken is caused to rotate about its support means while said head bobs up and down to simulate the pecking action of a chicken.

4. Game apparatus in the form of a chicken having a leg simulating support means, a body, a head, and a tail portion, means connecting said body with said support means for relative movement about a generally vertical axis, additional means connecting said head portion for movement relative to said body about a horizontal axis, gear drive mechanism within said body operatively connected with said support means, said body and said head and operable to effect rotation of said body relative to said support means about said vertical axis and movement of said head about said horizontal axis, and said tail portion being movably mounted relative to said body and including means operatively engageable with said gear drive mechanism for actuation of the latter upon manual movement of said tail, whereby said chicken is caused to rotate about its support means while said head bobs up and down to simulate the pecking action of a chicken.

5. Game apparatus comprising a supporting base including a series of numbers arranged in a circle, a housing simulating the body of a chicken mounted in the center of said base by means affording relative rotation of said housing about a generally vertical axis, means defining a vertically slotted opening in each of two oppositely facing side walls of said housing, a part simulating the neck and head of a chicken pivotally carried by said housing in outwardly projecting relation through one of said slotted openings, gear means within said housing operatively interconnecting said base and said housing to provide for relative rotation of said housing and including a rotatable element in position for engagement with an inner end of said neck part to provide vertical swinging movement of said neck between a raised position and a lowered position wherein the head closely overlies one of the numbers on said base, and means simulating the tail of a chicken which is pivotally mounted in said housing with one end portion projecting outwardly of the other of said slotted openings, spring means interconnecting said tail means and housing to bias said tail means into a raised position, the other end of said tail means including a gear segment in position for driving engagement with one of the gears of said gear means, whereby downward motion of said tail means is effective to actuate said gear means and cause said housing to rotate and said head to move up and down.

6. Game apparatus comprising a game board including indicia marked thereon in a generally circular path, a pivot support means fixed to said board adjacent the center of said generally circular path, a housing mounted on said support means, a part pivotally carried by said housing in projecting relation thereto for vertical swinging movement between a position closely adjacent said board and an elevated position, and mechanism within said housing which is connected with said part and with said pivot support means and operable to simultaneously effect rotation of said housing relative to said support means and vertically oscillating movement of said projecting part.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 925,534 6/1909 Tuthill et al. 27314l 1,442,290 1/1923 Pallone 46-124 ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner.

MAX R. PAGE, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

